Will the type of honey flavor come thru? Was thinking of using orange blossom. as I type this question I assume the type of malt will matter, anyone recommend a light malt to let the honey come thru better?
Braggot question
- Thread starter McJeff
- Start date
-
Love Gotmead and want to see it grow? Then consider supporting the site and becoming a Patron! If you're logged in, click on your username to the right of the menu to see how as little as $30/year can get you access to the patron areas and the patron Facebook group and to support Gotmead!
-
We now have a Patron-exclusive Facebook group! Patrons my join at The Gotmead Patron Group. You MUST answer the questions, providing your Patron membership, when you request to join so I can verify your Patron membership. If the questions aren't answered, the request will be turned down.
It depends on the style you want to make, but yes, a lighter malt will let more honey character show. In addition, using more honey obviously makes an impact, and you can even add it after the wort has cooled, if you dare, to preserve the aromatics as much as possible. Huge hop bills will tend to obscure the honey. Perhaps the most important thing is age. The honey will really show itself more after 6-12 months of aging, which is something brewers often don't allow.
What kind of recipe were you contemplating?
Sent from my THINGAMAJIG with WHATCHAMACALLIT
What kind of recipe were you contemplating?
Sent from my THINGAMAJIG with WHATCHAMACALLIT
Ive no idea what style this will end up being. I do have my head set on using orange blossom honey and the lightest malt i can find prob 50/50 ratio. Ill most likely order this unless someones scream "NO" at me 
http://www.morebeer.com/products/pilsner-malt-extract-syrup.html
I not really nailed down a recipe yet beyond the 50/50 honey and malt. Will prob keep it simple and some centennial at a low bitterness so the honey can still come thru. i know i want to hit at least 10-12%(Nottingham yeast?) abv so i can age it, hopefully it will be semi sweet 1.010+ a bit.
keeping it simple and ill tweak it on the second batch.
http://www.morebeer.com/products/pilsner-malt-extract-syrup.html
I not really nailed down a recipe yet beyond the 50/50 honey and malt. Will prob keep it simple and some centennial at a low bitterness so the honey can still come thru. i know i want to hit at least 10-12%(Nottingham yeast?) abv so i can age it, hopefully it will be semi sweet 1.010+ a bit.
keeping it simple and ill tweak it on the second batch.
Centennial is overkill I think. I would suggest Citra hops because it compliments OB very well. Keep the IBU in the 10-15 range to avoid overpowering the honey nose.
Nottingham, US05, and Wyeast 1388 are all great for braggots and will easily hit 10-12%.
Better brewing through science!
Nottingham, US05, and Wyeast 1388 are all great for braggots and will easily hit 10-12%.
Better brewing through science!
spot on! thats why im asking! Dont know why but i was avoiding citrus hops because i didnt want people to confuse the flavor of the hops and the honey. Does that make sense or am i just over thinking it?
Actually, if you put hops in at all, then the goal is for the two to marry equally into something greater than each part.
Better brewing through science!
Better brewing through science!
My approach is to go a little to the high side on the hops because they will fade with aging as the honey becomes more prominent over a year or more. During that time the character of the brew shifts but it can be enjoyable all along the way.
Sent from my THINGAMAJIG with WHATCHAMACALLIT
Sent from my THINGAMAJIG with WHATCHAMACALLIT
will it continue to fade till completely gone or is there like a bare min point where there will still be some hops left?
I don't know for sure how long hops can stay, but even in a simple beer-strength braggot like my "beyond the pale" recipe, the hop character was still there after 2.5 years. In some barley wines the hops last for more than a decade. So although there might be a point where hops fade completely, it seems like it would take a very long time.
Sent from my THINGAMAJIG with WHATCHAMACALLIT
Sent from my THINGAMAJIG with WHATCHAMACALLIT
So ive decided on using US 05 for the "cleaner" less eastery finish. How are the nutrient requirements on beer yeasts? I have Dap, ferm K on hand. Can you do the staggered addition like i would with a mead?
I generally front load braggots because oxidation is a major concern with hops. I assume ale yeasts are nutrient hogs to be safe.
Better brewing through science!
Better brewing through science!
I only do SNA with a braggot if it is barley-wine style with a starting gravity above 1.090.
Sent from my THINGAMAJIG with WHATCHAMACALLIT
Sent from my THINGAMAJIG with WHATCHAMACALLIT
I'm a little tardy to the party, but yes, the honey does come through. I've done a chocolate ale braggot with huajilla honey, and after 6-8 months the honey was definitely coming through, and the hops I used balance out the sweet nicely so it's not cloying.
I haven't done any SNA, with my braggots outside of using White Labs Servomyces. Even though they usually are 1.100 or more (My rye/barley wine has a theoretical 1.210 [I couldn't measure it since my equipment doesn't go that high and didn't think to put 50% of water into it to dilute it and do math on it.])
For yeast, I typically use Lalvin D254.
Cheers!
I haven't done any SNA, with my braggots outside of using White Labs Servomyces. Even though they usually are 1.100 or more (My rye/barley wine has a theoretical 1.210 [I couldn't measure it since my equipment doesn't go that high and didn't think to put 50% of water into it to dilute it and do math on it.])
For yeast, I typically use Lalvin D254.
Cheers!
one more question!
When boiling the liquid malt does it matter how much water i add to it? obviously i dont want so much water as to lower the gravity of the final product. but is there some magic rule of thumb to go by?
edit: only have 3lbs of LME to boil and was goin to add 3 lbs of honey when it cooled then adjust the water till the starting gravity was where i wanted it.
When boiling the liquid malt does it matter how much water i add to it? obviously i dont want so much water as to lower the gravity of the final product. but is there some magic rule of thumb to go by?
edit: only have 3lbs of LME to boil and was goin to add 3 lbs of honey when it cooled then adjust the water till the starting gravity was where i wanted it.
I would start a boil at 9% more than you want to end at. That 9% is a "typical" boil off rate number used in calculating how much to boil when brewing beer. But to really know that number, you need to do tests at boiling yourself at your altitude and with your equipment.
What's your recipe looking like? How much do you want to make? What gravity? A bit more info and we can definitely help you hash out all the little details like this.
Cheers!
-- Steve
What's your recipe looking like? How much do you want to make? What gravity? A bit more info and we can definitely help you hash out all the little details like this.
Cheers!
-- Steve
Well like most things i do i was just kinda winging it. I bought 3 lbs of dark stout liquid malt, 5lbs of buckwheat honey, US 05 and 1oz Magnum pellet hops.
http://www.morebeer.com/products/porter-stout-dark-malt-extract-syrup.html
I was goin to boil the 3lbs of malt with 1gallon(or a bit more) of spring water and the 1oz of hops for 1 hour. After the hour was up cold bath in the sink to cool it down and add 3lbs of the buckwheat honey and more spring water till i get a starting gravity of ~1.100-1.105 ish. rehydrate the US 05 yeast and let it run its course to 12% abv and backsweeten with the rest of the buckwheat honey.
http://www.morebeer.com/products/porter-stout-dark-malt-extract-syrup.html
I was goin to boil the 3lbs of malt with 1gallon(or a bit more) of spring water and the 1oz of hops for 1 hour. After the hour was up cold bath in the sink to cool it down and add 3lbs of the buckwheat honey and more spring water till i get a starting gravity of ~1.100-1.105 ish. rehydrate the US 05 yeast and let it run its course to 12% abv and backsweeten with the rest of the buckwheat honey.
